Stoppable Force vs Moveable Object (Motherwell - Livi)

[crispy]

Quite looking forward to this if only because away games offer an opportunity to get away from the toxic shouts I have to endure at home games.

[RandomGuy.]

11 hours ago, ropy said:

I do wonder if it will be as much fun as Levein was hoping it would be, he may lose focus, is he still doing the podcast?

Hes spoken openly about how hes allowing others to do a lot (Andy Kirk does all the training and Levein just watches) so he can just focus on the matches themselves.

I wouldnt be shocked at all if he just does this job until the Summer then becomes DOF with Kirk becoming manager.

[underboyleheating]

If Motherwell lose on Saturday I suspect Kettlewell will be gone by 5.30. If Livingston lose the only way Martingale will be leaving is if he decides to himself. This is a massive game for both clubs and vitally important that we stop the ‘not winning’ rot. Kettlewell has 90+ minutes to save his job for another few games at least. 

[LIVIFOREVER]

11 hours ago, crispy said:

Quite looking forward to this if only because away games offer an opportunity to get away from the toxic shouts I have to endure at home games.

I've found the away games worse, where i sit at the home games i don't hear much of it,  just the odd one of frustration, but at away games (Motherwell, St Mirren, Ross County last season in particular) St Mirren, Hearts this season, there's a small group that start shouting abuse as soon as we go behind. One guy in particular stands out, i recognised his voice from last season, finishes every sentence with the word man. Was calling Martindale a baldy h*n. Avoid sitting to the right of centre as you face the pitch behind the goal, that seems to be his preferred spot.

Edited December 29, 2023 by LIVIFOREVER

[Freedom Farter]

24 minutes ago, LIVIFOREVER said:

I've found the away games worse, where i sit at the home games i don't hear much of it,  just the odd one of frustration, but at away games (Motherwell, St Mirren, Ross County last season in particular) St Mirren, Hearts this season, there's a small group that start shouting abuse as soon as we go behind. One guy in particular stands out, i recognised his voice from last season, finishes every sentence with the word man. Was calling Martindale a baldy h*n. Avoid sitting to the right of centre as you face the pitch behind the goal, that seems to be his preferred spot.

I'm the same. Home games are great but at away games there's some of the chimpanzees from down the other end of the stand. Shows how bad it must be down that end if its the other way around for Crispy and he finds away games better.

[YassinMoutaouakil]

12 hours ago, crispy said:

Quite looking forward to this if only because away games offer an opportunity to get away from the toxic shouts I have to endure at home games.

Are you David Martindale?

[Marinello]

Such is the apocalyptic backdrop being portrayed for this match that on walking up pre match to FP tomorrow I fully expect 2 sets of gallows being erected reflecting the dimensions of both managers

Which one is used is anybody's guess. But for sure the gallows assemblers will be easily picked out in so far as they will be moon howling, pitchfork wielding slabbering hordes.

Will be almost worth buying the popcorn beforehand!!!

[RandomGuy.]

I dont think any manager gets sacked after this, even if they lose, IMO. With the caveat an absolute hounding of a 5+ goal defeat would change my opinion.

Both clubs have committed to their managers until the winter break regardless of what comes between now and then.

[ATLIS]

2 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

I dont think any manager gets sacked after this, even if they lose, IMO. With the caveat an absolute hounding of a 5+ goal defeat would change my opinion.

Both clubs have committed to their managers until the winter break regardless of what comes between now and then.

True, but it could determine their fate regardless. With the last game before the break just being a given, we'll take nothing from Hearts at home

[Stylish Kid]

I do love these Newtonian-based thought experiment titles of threads.

 

Also I genuinely can't remember when two teams on such equally horrendous runs of form met each other. 

 

If I wasn't already going to Tynecastle I'd seriously consider going as a neutral 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Stylish Kid

[Busta Nut]

2 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

I dont think any manager gets sacked after this, even if they lose, IMO. With the caveat an absolute hounding of a 5+ goal defeat would change my opinion.

Both clubs have committed to their managers until the winter break regardless of what comes between now and then.

Yeah I don' t think Livi sack Martindale and I get the feeling we're no where near punting SK either. I think with our background changes coming into play we need to get lucky with the results until the summer. 

[Freedom Farter]

22 hours ago, LiviLion said:

Against my better judgement I'm probably going to head through to this, where's best to park? Obvious answer is just at home.

Ideally, we'd line up with something like 

  Reveal hidden contents

George

Brandon*  -  Obileye  -  Devlin  -  Penrice

Holt  -  Pittman

Bradley  -  Kelly  -  Montano

Anderson

*Nottingham instead of Brandon would also be fine IMO. Tbh purely for the sake of dropping folk I wouldn't even mind if it was Brandon - Nottingham - de Lucas - Penrice, but I don't think that would actually go well.

But Martindale will stick with 5 at the back, so you'd want to see something like

  Reveal hidden contents

George

Nottingham  -  Obileye  -  Devlin

Brandon  -  Holt  -  St.Kelly  -  Pittman  -  Penrice

Anderson  -  Guthrie

 

But Martindale will actually do something like this, more of a 3-4-2-1 with players out of position

George

Parkes  -  Obileye  -  Devlin

Nouble*  -  Holt  -  Se.Kelly  -  Penrice

Pittman  -  Shinnie

Guthrie

*I don't think he'll play Nouble at wing back again (will definitely start him though), but it wouldn't even surprise me. He seems to be going down the stubborn route this season unfortunately.

I don't expect him to break up the defence as its looking solid at last. So unless one of Nottingham, Obileye or Devlin are injured that'll likely be the three. Penrice and Holt will start. Right wing back is up for grabs. You'd think and hope he won't put Nouble there again but he easily could. Bradley did well there in his sub appearance last match so expect him to not even make the squad this time. Brandon is the obvious choice so it probably won't be him. Shinnie and Pittman will be the wrong way around again with Shinnie partnering Holt, then Pittman at attacking mid probably alongside Nouble, with Guthrie as lone striker. 

[LiviLion]

10 minutes ago, Freedom Farter said:

I don't expect him to break up the defence as its looking solid at last. So unless one of Nottingham, Obileye or Devlin are injured that'll likely be the three. Penrice and Holt will start. Right wing back is up for grabs. You'd think and hope he won't put Nouble there again but he easily could. Bradley did well there in his sub appearance last match so expect him to not even make the squad this time. Brandon is the obvious choice so it probably won't be him. Shinnie and Pittman will be the wrong way around again with Shinnie partnering Holt, then Pittman at attacking mid probably alongside Nouble, with Guthrie as lone striker. 

Unfortunately you're probably 100% right. I chucked Parkes in as it's the kind of weird change he just makes every now and then; we've finally got a settled-looking defence though (minus a RWB).

[MP_MFC]

On 28/12/2023 at 21:40, LiviLion said:

Against my better judgement I'm probably going to head through to this, where's best to park? Obvious answer is just at home.

If you go far enough down I’m sure you can park on Dalzell avenue after the cones stop, just a short walk to the away stand. 

Failing that, manse road is the next best bet, you’ll be at the other side of the stadium from the away end but a fairly quick walk. 

[Scrutinizer]

Motherwell have much better players than Livi,  livi won't score so they can't win

Livi are beat before they kick off. Martindale will set up as usual ,same drab tactics, same old useless faces ,Shinnie,Pittman,Nouble,Guthrie,and I think he's been keeping Sean Kelly fit and fresh for this one,it wouldn't surprise me if he  flung Parks on  as a striker.

Penrice could cause problems with his bombing forward, his crossing can be a bit  erratic of late

Anderson can cause problems,but won't get  any support from the 4 musketeers, Pittman,Shinne,Noble,Guthrie,

Sorry Got that wrong Anderson won't be playing

Edited December 30, 2023 by Scrutinizer

[Handsome_Devil]

6 hours ago, Scrutinizer said:

Motherwell have much better players than Livi,  livi won't score so they can't win

Livi are beat before they kick off. Martindale will set up as usual ,same drab tactics, same old useless faces...

Someone said that to me last night, about the players, and while it's probably true in terms of potential, it's definitely not true on three months of form.

Having watched you against St Johnstone, I can entirely see the same drab tactics getting you a classic Jose Mourinho win today... shelling it long will eliminate your mistakes, we create next to nothing until late scrambles and will inevitably boot the ball into our own net at least once. 

I'm very curious to see what SK does, not so much with the XI as that's fucked anyway, but how he has us play. Intuitively at home to Livingston you'd think we'd want control and to pass it but as above, in doing so we're both simultaneously toothless and a mistake waiting to happen. But equally it's been ages since we've looked remotely effective going direct and should that not work inside 20 minutes the fans will turn a lot quicker than if there's the impression of at least trying to play football.

[Troy.1995]

Absolutely baltic through here in Livingston. Hopefully the luxury of undersoil heating will ensure that this potential blockbuster, ahem goes ahead.Cant wait,no honest..

[Dav nan Gael]

You couldn't write it, 2 teams not that far apart geographically,2 managers who don't know what they're doing and 2 clubs facing the drop into the championship............

Got a soft spot for the "well",only stay 2 miles from the North Lanarkshire border,my local EoSFL side play in Amber and Claret (Whitburn) and I respect how they've competed thru the yrs against clubs far bigger than themselves.

With the way both clubs are playing who knows whats gonna happen however,it's all about who turns up on the day. 

[welldaft]

I think it fair to say Livi struggle to score. I think it is fair to say we struggle to defend. 

Therefore for 90% of Motherwell supporters we fully expect Livi to get at least one goal probably two. In fact we fully expect Livi to score within the first 15-20 minutes from a long throw or free kick or any situation that requires our defenders and goalie to deal with it in a professional manner…

I am going along with very little expectation. I doubt it will be a classic. Any win will do

[dezz]

If we score it should mean we get at least a point as Livi don’t really do goals, although a point doesn’t really do much for us, we need a win.

I have an absolutely horrible feeling about this. 0-1. 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by dezz